title: Posttraumatic stress symptoms after solid-organ transplantation: preoperative risk factors and the impact on health-related quality of life and life satisfaction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Solid-organ transplantations (SOT) are usually life-saving high-tech medical procedures. The transplantation itself and the intensive care unit stay could be traumatic stressors triggering posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS). Our retrospective follow-up study aimed to explore preoperative risk factors of PTSS in a cohort of SOT recipients, and we investigated how PTSS are associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and life satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  126 SOT recipients were enrolled in this investigation. Psychiatric examination of all SOT candidates based on the Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale was carried out before SOT, and after SOT, recipients completed the PTSS-10, the SF-36 and the FLZ.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After the surgical intervention 19 (15.1%) SOT recipients had clinical significant PTSS. Preoperative risk factors for developing postoperative PTSS were: 1.) preexisting psychiatric morbidity, 2.) history of retransplantation, 3.) chronic benzodiazepine consumption, 4.) age, and 5.) type of transplantation.SOT-related PTSS were associated with maximal decrements in HRQOL and life satisfaction. The following HRQOL and life satisfaction domains were affected: Physical Functioning, Role Physical, Pain, General Health, Vitality, Social Functioning, Role Emotional, Mental Health, Occupation/Work and Character/Own Skills.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SOT recipients may face a major risk of transplantation- and treatment-related PTSS and the development of impairments to HRQOL and life satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Medicine of Graz, Auenbruggerplatz 31, Graz 8036, Austria. Andreas.Baranyi@klinikum-graz.at
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Baranyi
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krauseneck
authors.forename: Hans-Bernd
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Rothenhäusler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016377:Organ Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011184:Postoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology